Just Different
by Purplerose128
Summary: Natsumi Nanase knew that her son was different from the other kids. He liked to be alone, had an obsession with the water, and he wasn't much of a talker. And that was all fine and good until little Haruka started attending school. It's only when he makes his first friend that his differences become less worrisome, as they had become, and were once again just parts of him.


**Hey, everyone. This is my first Free! fanfiction ever, so I'm kind of excited to have posted it.**

**This is actually based on a true story... of how I almost got kicked out of pre-school because I was apparently an anti-social child who hated my teacher and didn't want to do anything except draw or play with a random toy by myself. Long story short, I started comparing myself to Haru just for fun and this happened.**

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From the moment that Natsumi Nanase first held her son, she knew that raising Haruka would be the greatest challenge of her life. Because, like every set of parents, she and her husband Ryou had dreams for Haruka. However, the chance of him becoming any of those dreams was slim at best and they acknowledged that. However, she didn't think that the problems she would be facing with her son would be so foreign to both her and Ryou.

Haruka had always been quiet, even as a baby. He almost always slept through the night and only fussed if he needed something. And that was even more applicable whenever Natsumi's mother was around. For some reason, Haruka had an immediate bond with his grandmother to the point where his cries would cease simply by being placed in her arms. Haru was a good baby and he was even better when Grandma was close by.

Even as he became more mobile, Haruka generally stayed out of trouble, unlike most toddlers seemed to. While Natsumi heard stories from her friends about how they had to lock the cabinets and block off electrical plugs, she learned that they'd baby-proofed the house for nothing. Haruka was mostly uninterested. Sure, sometimes he pleaded for his favorite foods and went after them himself when his parents told him no, but that was only when he wasn't gaining their attention.

One thing that Ryou did notice, though, was Haruka's interest in his fish tank. Haru could sit in front of it for hours just watching the fish inside swim around. One time he climbed the dresser that it was on top of and Ryou found him shirtless and his arms fully submerged in the aquarium. After that, they decided some more child-proofing was in order.

Haru's love for water, though, surpassed just trying to climb into the fish tank once or twice. Natsumi saw a reluctance in him whenever she told him that it was time to get out of the bathtub. He wouldn't exactly protest, but he would just stare at her, expression near neutral to anyone who hadn't known the little boy for long. She knew that her son's eyes were the easiest way to see through his blank façade. And whenever she made him get out of the tub, his crystal clear blue eyes would darken in a mix of disappointment and irritation. Even so, he obeyed after shaking droplets of water out of black locks of hair that resembled her own.

But as soon as Haruka learned the basics of swimming, it was even harder to keep him out of the water. Haru constantly asked to be taken to the local swimming club or the beach, wherever he would be able to swim. He would sit outside in the kiddie pool and soak for hours if he couldn't. Ryou started joking that their son must have been part fish, which may or may not have started his interest in mermaids… and wanting to become one when he grew up.

As Haruka got older, though, Natsumi noticed something else about her son. While she and her husband had always been sociable, free-spirited people, Haruka seemed to be much more introverted. Where their friends' children were running around and yelling as they played, Haru was quiet and more subdued. He liked playing by himself, even when he was taken to the park or when friends brought their children over for play dates.

Once in a while, she heard the other kids comment about Haru during play dates. About how he was weird or wasn't fun to be around. Haruka never seemed to care about what they said, even if they were within earshot of him he just carried on in his own little world like nothing had happened.

That was the first time she was ever concerned about Haruka. He wasn't interested in other children and became angry if social interaction was forced upon him. Suddenly, his quiet nature wasn't as appealing as it used to be. Suddenly, Natsumi was afraid for him… that something might be wrong with him.

That made Haruka's going to school even more stressful for her in particular. Ryou was convinced that their son would be fine once he came out of his shell and tried making friends with his classmates. And she did her best to believe him and hope for the same thing. That maybe Haruka was just shy or was afraid to reach out for some reason. Maybe because what kids had said about him before really did bother him. But he'd get more comfortable in time.

Those thoughts appeased her for a while… until she brought him to his first day of pre-school. Haruka held her hand as they walked into the room together, already alive with other kids playing together and shouting. She watched as he surveyed the area with a neutral expression. Then, he looked up at her for confirmation before he let go of her hand and started exploring.

_Okay, so far so good. _She thought, still keeping her eyes glued to him. Haru wandered about, scanning those beautifully blue eyes over every inch of the room. He looked at the other kids but made no moves to introduce himself as he took his silent lap around the space.

Then he came back to her side and tugged on her skirt to ensure he had her attention "Okay, can we go home now?"

She should have known that this wouldn't be easy… "No, Haruka." She knelt down to his level and he released his grip "You're going to stay here for a few hours until I come back, okay?"

"How come?"

"Haru, we talked about this." Natsumi kept her voice even and gentle as she spoke to him "You're old enough to start going to school now, so that's what we're doing. You want to start learning new things, right?"

He looked away from her "Why can't I do that at home?"

"Because part of school is learning how to be nice to other people." She explained "You know, making friends, working together, stuff like that."

Haruka just shrugged "Okay…"

"Alright." She pecked her son on the cheek and he responded by putting his hand over where she kissed him "Be good, okay? I'll be back before you know it." He nodded "And try making some friends, okay?"

She stood and Haruka walked away from her, aimlessly wandering about while she spoke with her son's teacher and then stepped out the door thinking that all was well. And she thought that for a few weeks, since Haruka was behaving generally the same at home. He didn't talk about school or other kids very much, but he didn't like talking in general. So, his parents took the lack of complaints or odd behavior as good signs.

But one Friday, before Natsumi could leave after dropping him off, the teacher pulled her aside and asked for a moment of her time. In his office, the two of them discussed something that she never thought she'd have to consider.

"I think it might be best if you try sending your son to another school."

Natsumi almost started blushing out of embarrassment. Was Haru behaving badly? Were there things that he was supposed to tell her but never did? How many parents could say that their child was so problematic that they got kicked out of pre-school?!

"H-has he done anything wrong?" She stammered.

The teacher reclined in his chair "Not exactly. Haruka's very mellow and it isn't like he's starting fights or anything. It's just he… he isn't participating and nothing I do seems to get him interested. I tell the kids to get into groups and play a game and he goes off in a corner somewhere and colors. I try asking him questions and he either doesn't answer or says only a word or two. He's by no means a bad kid, I just don't think that here's a good fit for him."

While it was relieving that Haruka wasn't causing trouble, it was still disheartening to hear that he'd yet to so much as make a new friend or act like part of a team.

"Do you want me to take him now?" She questioned. She may be late for work now, but her mother was never one to turn down spending the day with Haru. And he, of course, wouldn't object either.

"I don't think that's necessary." The teacher replied, shrugging "I'll have him for class today, since he's here and I'm sure you had plans made for after you dropped him off. I just wanted to talk to you before the chaos that is dismissal rolled around."

Natsumi nodded "I understand. Thank you for having him. I'm sorry that he's been… difficult."

"I'm just sorry that I couldn't get him to open up." He admitted "I've had shy kids before, ones who just don't want to be social for one reason or another. But none of them have been anything like your son because… he's not shy at all, he's not afraid of other kids in the slightest. He just doesn't _want_ to interact."

She couldn't think of anything else to do besides bow her head as the meeting ended and she climbed back into her car. What was she gonna do with him? It wasn't like making Haru do anything would make him like it any more. But they had to do something. Human interaction is vital to a child's growth and a staple with which people maintain their sanity.

When she brought him home that afternoon and told him that he wouldn't be going back to that school, Haru just nodded and said "Okay." That was the best answer she was going to get out of him, unfortunately. She and Ryou talked about the situation that night after Haru was in bed and they settled on the only thing that they could do: try again. Thus, the search for a school that could help coax Haruka be more social went underway.

Natsumi went about finding a different school for Haru in the most serious way that she could manage, throwing herself into research and asking her friends about other local schools. It may have been a bit silly to be so intense when it came to picking a pre-school for her kid, but was about more than Haru's lacking circle of friends. This was about making sure he developed properly and knew how to treat other people. No adult could survive without interacting with another person, so it was essential for Haru to learn how.

She gathered more information and called in to meet with the teachers and principals before making any choices. She must have gone through another five schools before finding one that she thought would benefit Haruka.

"Have your teachers ever dealt with a kid like him before?" She asked each one "He's a good boy, it's just he isn't opening up or participating."

Two of the schools, after hearing more about her son, quickly turned her away as if something was wrong with her son and it was contagious. One of them even recommended that she take him to be tested for mental illnesses and tried to convince her that some kind of medicine would magically make Haruka want to talk to other kids. Ryou was there for that particular meeting and nearly punched the woman who said that in the jaw, had it not been for his wife's arms holding him back.

"There's nothing wrong with my son!" He shouted "He's just different!" Natsumi started to lead him towards the door as he continued his tirade "The only one with a problem is you!" She got them through the doorway and shut it behind them, putting a barrier between her husband and the woman running a school Haru would definitely _not_ be attending.

The next week, a school finally showed some confidence after she'd shared Haruka's story.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Nanase." The principal of Iwatobi Elementary School told her "We've had kids that sound like your son before and they've all come around eventually. It just takes patience sometimes."

And that reassured her somewhat. Maybe something about this place or the people who worked here were just more welcoming to children. And maybe that's what Haru needed in order to finally want to be social.

So, after Ryou met the principal himself and agreed with her, the two of them went to enroll Haruka in classes there. He would start attending Iwatobi by the end of the month.

Haru was just as reluctant to go to this school as the last, but he didn't fight them on it; he just silently protested like he did when he was told to get out of the bathtub or that they were leaving the beach.

Ryou dropped him off on his first day and reported that he seemed fine. He'd met his teacher, a young woman who introduced herself to him as Miss Amakata. She was cheerful yet soft spoken as she spoke with Haru, who answered her as plainly as he did anyone else. The teacher assured him that Haruka was in good hands and that he'd love it there in no time. But his parents both knew that a simple change of scenery wouldn't immediately change Haru's behavior. Only time and effort would do that… hopefully.

The first week or two, Haruka did nothing out of the ordinary for him. He always met his mother at the door the minute school was done for the day, anxious to go back home and stare at the fish tank and just be by himself again. But Haru started taking more time to leave the classroom than usual when his third week came around. He was hanging back for some reason, but Natsumi didn't know why. Haru wouldn't tell her and she didn't want to block the doorway trying to find out at dismissal. For the time being, she just let it be and hoped that her son would tell her, his grandma, anyone about it. She couldn't help but hope that it was a sign that Haru was opening up; that he'd made a friend.

This carried on for a few weeks, with Haru being one of the last ones to leave the classroom every day and not giving an answer why. Ryou figured that he would tell them if it was anything important, as their son had always been one to speak up when he felt something was wrong. But… it didn't seem like anything _was_ wrong. Haruka was smiling more, he wasn't as reluctant to go to school every day. Something had changed for the better.

It was close to winter break by the time Natsumi finally discovered what that something was. It was dismissal time and she watched the children file out of the classroom and leave with their parents. But Haru wasn't among them. Natsumi stared at the door and he didn't come out, so she decided to step inside and gather her son herself.

She entered the colorful classroom and Miss Amakata put a finger over her mouth, signaling her to be quiet.

"Hi, Natsumi." The teacher whispered.

"Where's Haru?" She answered in an equally quiet tone.

Miss Amakata jerked her head to the side and led her behind some low bookshelves. There, she smiled and gazed down at a pair of little mats that the students used during nap time. Haruka was curled up on the edge of one of them, all but his head and feet hidden underneath a blanket. The fabric was large enough to reach over to the other mat, where another child was in a similar state to Haru's. Eyes contently closed and little body so close to the other's that their faces were inches apart. The boy's head of brown hair was messed up from sleeping, much like Haru's was, and one of his fisted hands was settled comfortably atop Haru's shoulder.

"I didn't want to wake them." The brunette woman admitted "They just look so content."

And, really, Natsumi thought the same. The pair looked so peaceful in their sleep, but school was over and she had to return to work after dropping Haruka off at her mother's. She looked at them for a moment before looking back at Amakata "Is this something that's normal?"

Brown eyes widened before their owner responded "Not exactly this, but Haruka and Makoto here have kind of become inseparable. They play together, nap next to each other, they say good-bye every day after class." She cocked her head to the side "Hasn't he told you any of that?"

Natsumi shook her head "He's not really a talker…"

"I've noticed that too." Amakata agreed "But he is starting to open up. I think it's because he has Makoto with him."

The other nodded and knelt down to shake her son awake.

"Ah, Yuki." Amakata raised her voice slightly. Natsumi saw a woman taller than herself and the teacher walking into the room with a gentle smile on her face. The teacher gestured to the sleeping children and the woman's green eyes softened even more. Fluffy locks of green hair bounced with ever step she took, only settling into place when the rest of her body stopped near the other two women.

"Aww, look at them…" She mused "It's a shame they have to wake up, huh?" Yuki grinned at Natsumi and knelt down on the other side of the mats.

"Yeah, it is." The dark-haired woman ran her fingers through Haru's hair, moving his bangs from his face.

There was a faint ringing sound in the distance and Miss Amakata responded to it "Oh, excuse me, I have to answer that." She then left the room and the ringing stopped after a few more seconds, being replaced by distant chatter from the teacher.

"You're Haru's mom, I take it?" The other woman guessed.

"Yes." She held out a hand "I'm Natsumi Nanase."

The taller woman took her hand and shook it "Yuki Tachibana." She released the other's hand and smiled down at the brunet boy "That's my son Makoto; he talks about Haru all the time."

"He does?"

Yuki nodded "Maybe we could have them get together some time over a weekend?"

Haru's mother found herself smiling "I think Haru would like that."

"Haru." Natsumi gently shook his shoulder in an effort to wake him while Yuki did the same with Makoto "We gotta go."

Slowly, sets of blue and green eyes fluttered open and little bodies started stirring under their shared blanket. Haruka rubbed his eyes, refusing to move just yet, while Makoto let out a yawn and sat up.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Yuki greeted her son "Have a nice nap?"

Makoto nodded and then looked at Haru "We played tag…"

"You did?" His mother answered "Did you have fun?" Both boys nodded and Makoto held out his arms, asking to be held. Yuki obliged and gave him a hug.

Haruka got out from under the blanket and went over to the little coat hangers on the walls to claim his winter coat and hat. He got the jacket on but struggled with the zipper in the front, so Natsumi stood and walked over to help him. Once he was bundled up, she pulled on his hat so that it covered his ears and giggled when Haru moved it around to fit his liking.

Haru looked back at Makoto and Yuki piped up "Oh, Makoto."

"Hmm?" The brunet didn't lift his head from his mom's shoulder, still groggy from his nap.

"I was just talking to Haru's mom and we were wondering if you'd like to see Haru over the weekend."

The little boy in her arms lifted his head, smiled widely, and nodded "Can I play with Haru all day?"

"We'll see." Natsumi interjected before looking down at her son "Would you like that, Haru?" He nodded in response "Okay, then we'll have a play date soon."

"Yay!" Makoto cheered. Haru just smiled over at his friend, eyes bright.

Natsumi found a sticky note laying on Miss Amakata's desk and scribbled down her phone number before handing it to Yuki "Give me a call and we can set up a day for the boys, okay?"

"Thank you." The taller woman replied "I'll make sure to." She looked down at her son "Say good-bye to Haru."

"Bye bye Haru…" Makoto mumbled.

"Bye Makoto."

Natsumi held out her hand and Haru took it. She brought him outside to the car and strapped him in his car seat before getting in the driver's side. Out the windows, she could see Yuki emerging from the building with her son and they waved at one another before she drove off.

And she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Haru wave at his new friend, who waved excitedly back at him. Now she didn't have to worry as much, because Haruka had Makoto now and, hopefully, they'd be together for a long time.


End file.
